2011 Aston Martin Rapide — MOT failures & pass rate
The 2011 Aston Martin Rapide passed 90.5% of its 674 recorded MOT tests. Executive cars of a similar age fail 19.7% of the time, so this is 10.2pp better than the group it competes with. Failures cluster in lighting & signalling, visibility and tyres.
What the MOT record shows
No single area dominates — lighting & signalling (4.3%) and visibility (2.5%) are close, so failures are spread across several systems rather than one weak point.
At component level the recurring items are wipers, malfunction indicator lamp and washers — wipers alone was recorded 13 times.
Mileage matters less than usual here: the 2011 Rapide fails 8.2% of the time in the 0-30k band and 9.6% at 60-90k, a spread of only 1.4 points.
Tyres is the most common advisory, noted on 17.9% of tests — work that passed today but is likely due soon.
The trend is improving — the fail rate fell from 8.8% in 2021 to 6.2% in 2025, as the worst-kept examples leave the fleet.
How it compares
Top failure categories
| # | Category | % of tests affected | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lighting & signalling | 4.3% | 29 |
| 2 | Visibility | 2.5% | 17 |
| 3 | Tyres | 2.1% | 14 |
| 4 | Emissions & environmental | 2.1% | 14 |
| 5 | Brakes | 1.9% | 13 |
| 6 | Suspension | 0.4% | 3 |
Most common specific failures
The exact components most often recorded as failures — more specific than the categories above.
| # | Failure item | Times recorded |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wipers | 13 |
| 2 | Malfunction indicator lamp | 13 |
| 3 | Washers | 11 |
| 4 | Headlamp cleaning device | 10 |
| 5 | Side repeaters | 8 |
| 6 | Headlamp aim | 8 |
Top advisory categories
Advisories aren't failures, but they flag work likely needed soon — useful when budgeting.
| # | Category | % of tests with advisory | Tests |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Tyres | 17.9% | 121 |
| 2 | Brakes | 14.2% | 96 |
| 3 | Suspension | 5.3% | 36 |
| 4 | Lighting & signalling | 4.3% | 29 |
| 5 | Visibility | 2.7% | 18 |
| 6 | Other defects | 2.4% | 16 |
Failure rate by mileage
Higher-mileage cars tend to fail more — often the most useful guide to real condition.
| Mileage band | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 0-30k | 122 | 8.2% |
| 30-60k | 418 | 9.8% |
| 60-90k | 125 | 9.6% |
Failure rate by age
Trend over time
| Dataset year | Tests | Fail rate |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 136 | 8.8% |
| 2022 | 140 | 10.0% |
| 2023 | 132 | 9.1% |
| 2024 | 137 | 13.1% |
| 2025 | 129 | 6.2% |
What to check before buying a 2011 Rapide
The failure pattern for this year is specific enough to inspect against: lighting & signalling accounted for 4.3% of tests. Start there.
- Lighting & signalling (4.3% of tests): Often a cheap bulb, but persistent issues can mean wiring or corrosion in the units. Typical repair: £10–£150.
- Visibility (2.5% of tests): Wipers, washers, mirrors and screen damage — usually inexpensive, but check for chips in the driver's line of sight. Typical repair: £15–£150.
- Tyres (2.1% of tests): Usually a quick, known-cost fix, but check tread, age and uneven wear (which can hint at alignment or suspension issues). Typical repair: £50–£120 per tyre.
Repair costs are rough UK ballpark ranges to set expectations, not quotes — actual prices vary widely by car, parts and garage.
Frequently asked questions
How many 2011 Aston Martin Rapides pass their MOT?
90.5% of the 674 2011 Aston Martin Rapide MOT tests in this dataset passed — a 9.5% fail rate.
What is the most common MOT failure on a 2011 Aston Martin Rapide?
Lighting & signalling, recorded in 4.3% of tests, followed by visibility (2.5%).
Does the 2011 Rapide get worse with mileage?
Its MOT fail rate rises from 8.2% in the 0-30k band to 9.6% in the 60-90k band.
Methodology & source. Based on 674 MOT tests. Dataset: DVSA MOT testing data (2021,2022,2023,2024,2025). Data last updated 2026-07-27. Figures reflect MOT-testable defects only — read the methodology for how these are calculated and what they don't measure.